Your college counselor can be a coach, strategist, and therapist all rolled into one. Generally speaking, they’re professionals who assist students with academic goals, careers, and campus life. Here are just a few of the reasons you should seek out your college counselor.
Make a list
You can discuss your life goals, aptitudes, and preferences with a counselor in order to discover what you should look for from higher education. Are you a better fit for a degree in computer sciences or sports medicine? Perhaps you’re already tied to a job but it’s your dream to serve the community. An online master of public administration might be the best option. Your counselor can help you compose a list of factors helping you narrow down your choices to the most rewarding options.
Graduate programs
Most students are faced with choice of going on to grad school. The right school for your talents, goals, and finances might be difficult to determine. A college counselor can help you locate the best opportunities in terms of finances, prerequisites, the programs you’re a good fit for, and related career opportunities. They can help you tailor your current undergraduate course schedule or prepare for your GRE. You don’t want to gamble on any aspect of your education.
Plan your career
One of the chief motivators in going to college is to prepare for a good career. Many people graduate with a degree only to find there’s very few opportunities in their field, or wind up spending year after year in a job they hate while struggling to pay off student loans. A college counselor can provide career advice to prevent you from falling into these situations. The sooner you begin planning your long-term career with your counselor, the better your chances of real-world success.
Lower anxiety
Many college counselors say that the number of students they see with psychological problems is growing. If you’re having difficulty adjusting to the pressures of study, finances, and campus culture, a college counselor can be your friend and mentor. Their job is to help you successively complete your educational goals and prepare you for a career. Before anxieties become depression or disrupt your relationships, talk it over with a counselor.
If you start planning before you graduate, you can eliminate bad choices that waste time and money and affect your future. Your college counselor will be happy to help you realize your dreams.
Dixie Somers is a freelance writer and blogger for business, home, and family niches. Dixie lives in Phoenix, Arizona, and is the proud mother of three beautiful girls and wife to a wonderful husband. She can be found on Twitter.
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